Retired horses face welfare risks from inappropriate management — nutritional, dental, social, and veterinary needs of older horses require specific knowledge and ongoing attention.
Retirement does not reduce a horse's welfare needs. Older horses require body condition monitoring, frequent dental checks, adjusted nutrition, and continued social contact. Weight loss in elderly horses is often attributed to age but is frequently caused by treatable dental or metabolic disease. Isolation in retirement causes chronic stress. Many older horses also have chronic pain from arthritis that requires ongoing management. Horse passports assist end-of-life decision-making.